The potential of online learning for enhancing international education is substantial, yet few studies have explored the conditions under which students feel motivated and engage productively in cross-national online interchange. This article examines the significance of social affordances, specifically social presence, on university students' initial and final appraisals of a cross-national online learning experience that was embedded in their course of study on intercultural learning and education. Content analysis of their engagement in asynchronous and synchronous activities showed a substantial amount of social interchange and meaningful learning but limited evidence of social negotiation of meaning. The study highlights the range of issues faced by designers of cross-national online learning projects.